Improvement in machines for digging potatoes



. I UNITED STAT-ns;

' PATENT FFICE'.

DE WITT cLINT AND IvEs LYNb, on PonsraNKrLL, New YORK.

v`IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR DlGGlNGfPOTATOES.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. M299,` dated February5, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

IVES LYND, of Poestenkill, in the county of Rensselaer and State of NewYork, have inventeda new and Improved Potato-Digging Machine; and we dohereby declare that theI following is a full, clear, and exactdescription ofthe same, reference being had to the annexedy drawings,making a part of this specification, in whicha front elevation ofthesame.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the twofigures'.

This invention consists in the employment or use of an adjustable scoopin connection with an adjustable reciprocating screen, the above partsbeing placed on a mounted frame and arranged substantially ashereinafter described, whereby the potatoes, as the machine is drawnalong, are dug from the hills or drills, separated from the earth, anddeposited on the topv of the ground, the work being performed in anexpeditious and perfect'manner.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct ourinvention, we will proceed to describe it.

A represents a rectangular frame, which is mounted on two wheels, B B,the axle G of which is at the center of the frame. The wheels are placedloosely on the-axle, and are connected thereto when the machine is drawnforward by means of pawls a engaging with ratchets b in the wheel-hubs,the pawls being attached to hubs c, which are secured on the axle.

On the axle, at the outer sides ofthe wheels, there are placed andsecured bosses d, the bosses as Well as the hubs c being secured to theaxle by means of set-screws and by being shifted in position admittingof the wheels B B being secured on their axle at a greater or lessdistance apart, as may be desired.

D is the draft-pole, the back end of which has a metal fork, E,attached, the ends of which are fitted loosely on the axle C, as shownat d d in Fig. 2. To the back end of the draft-pole the drivers seat Fis attached by an elastic bar, G, and there is also attached to thebackpart of the draftpole a bent lever,

l I' H, the fnlcrum-pin 'e of which passes through Be it known that we,DE WITT ULINT andi a sector-plate, I, provided with ratchet-shaped teethf at its upper part. i The lever H has a spring-pawl, y, attached to it,said pawl engaging with the ratchet-teeth j'.y The front end of thelevenH is connected by links h to the'front part of the frame A, and itwill be seen that by drawing back the upper part .of lever H the frontpart of the frame Awill be i elevated and reta-ined' at any desiredheight by Figure 1 is a side sectional view of our in-l vention, takenin the line .fr a, Fig. 2; Fig. 2,;

the pawl g and ratchet-teeth f.

To the front end of the frame A there are attached two pendents, it',which are flat plates forked at their upper ends to admit of a secureattachment of them to the frame A.

Between the lower parts of the plates iz there is secured a metal plate,j, having a rounded and slightly pointed front edge, as shown in Fig. 2.The platej is slightly inclined, and to the inner side of each platez'there is attached a cutter, 7c, the edges of which project a trifle infront of the front edges of plates j. The plate j, in connection withthe plates or pendants i z' and cutters k, form a scoop A.

Through the lower parts of the plates i i a shaft, I, passes, and one-end of this shaft is connected by a pitman, J, to a crank-pulley, K, atthe front end of a shaft, L, at one side of the frame A. At the back endof shaft L there is a bevel-pinion, M, which gears into a bevelwheel, N.The shaft of the bevel-wheel N has a pinion, k, on its outer end, andthe pinion k gears into a wheel, m, on the axle C. By this arrangementareciprocatin g movement is given the shaft I as the machine is drawnalong.

To the shaft I a screen, O, is attached. This screen may be constructedof teeth n, attached at right angles to a bar or head, o, the latterbeing connected to the shaft I directly back of the plate j of thescoop. The shaft I is allowed to turn in its bearings, and the pitman Jis connected to said shaft by a socket, p, which admits of the shaftturning Without aecting the pitman. The end of the shaft I opposite tothat where the pitman J is connected has an arm, O', attached to it, andthe upper end of this arm is connected by a rod, P, 'with the lower endof a lever, Q, which is attached to the frame A, and has a pawl, B,secured to it. The lower end of pawl B engages with ratchet-teeth g on aplate, S,'at taohed to the frame. Thepawl R of lever Q, as well as thepawl g ot' lever H, have spiral springs a* on them, which springs have atendency to keep the pawls in their respective ratchetteeth f g. e v

The operation is as follows: As the machine is drawn along thescoop Aplows up the potatoes from the drills or hills, the depth of thepenetration of the scoop being regulated by adjusting the front part ofthe frame A by means of a pin, b", passing through a yoke, c". Thepotatoes and earth pass up the in` clined plate j and upon the screen 0,the latter being more or less inclined, as may be required, by adjustingthe lever Q. This varyin g of the inclination of the screen is essentialin order to effect a perfect separation of the potatoes from the earth,for it the earth be light andv loose a considerable inclination may begiven the screen as the earth will quickly pass through the screen; butit' the soil be heavy and moist the screen will require to be adjustedin a less inclined position to prevent the earth vpassing off the end ofthe screen with the potatoes.

The back end ot' the rod P is connected to the lower end of lever Q bymeans of` a loop or link, r, as shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of leverQ fitting in said loop or link. This arrangement admits of a certaindegree of play or rising and falling movement of the screen, so that itmay conform to the inequalities of the surface of the ground and passover obstructions. v

In moving the machine from -place to place the scoop is elevated abovethe surface of the ground by actuating lever H, as previously described.v

We do not claim any of the parts separately and irrespective of thearrangement herein shown; but

We do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Thecombination vof the scoop A with the adjustable reciprocating screen O,the above parts being applied to a mounted frame,A, and all arranged forjoint operation, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The connecting of the rod P to the lever Q by means of the link orloop r', as shown, in combination with the screen O, and in the mannerand for the purpose specified.

DE WITT CLINT. IVES LYND. y

Witnesses: A

EDMoND COLE, G. B. THORN.

